Dion focused on his box. He unlocked and opened it. Only three red crystals remained.
Without hesitation, he picked one and closed the box. Although he absorbed many red crystals previously without any immediate negative effect or present repercussion, he doesn't want to tempt fate and try it again. He will stick to one red crystal per day.
'That book from Ella said that I just need to hold it and focus on it. But how?'
Dion didn't dwell on that though. He just picked it up and closed his eyes.
'Absorbed red crystal.'
'red crystal swallow.'
'red crystal into the bloodstream.'
'…'
Dion, who couldn't just concentrate, filled his thoughts with red crystals. Even his thoughts became speechless at some gibberish he thought of.
'At this rate, I will be a red crystal fanatic. Thought, shut up! But how can I shut myself? I said shut up and stop talking! Let me think. Wait… am I going mad from red crystals and arguing with myself? I need to concentrate on this red crystal.'
After struggling for five minutes, his patient already waning, he suddenly felt something cooling flow into his bloodstream. The feeling is intoxicating.
It sunk him into a state of strange ecstasy. All his senses tingle in pleasure and thrill. The bliss sent him to another dimension.
Suddenly, it stopped. Dion woke up but still wanted more of the sensation. All his body craved for it. His soul felt a tugging.
Dion couldn't wait to open the box and grab another red crystal. But he suddenly snapped out of the intoxicated state. Chill crept over his body. Now he knows why there are people who absorb more than one crystal a day. The feeling of ecstasy is indescribable and addictive. The euphoria in the brain, the intoxicated senses, the warm blood boiling… all of it is addictive.
Suddenly, he felt his blood becoming hot and then cold but it felt very comfortable. Every pore on his body dilated in joy.
When his eyes fell on his body, he saw red blood with patches of black swimming through his veins.
A warm sensation began to spread from his blood and entered his muscles and all his body.
Dion felt like he was soaking in a hot tub. His pores began excreting a black, sticky substance.
Suddenly, an ancient interface appeared in his vision.
—-----------------
[VOID SHUTTLE AWAKENING…]
[BEAST MODE ACTIVATED… INSUFFICIENT BLOOD MANA! INCOMPLETE TRANSFORMATION!]
—-----------------
Dion abruptly felt his hearing and senses of smell amplified. He could even distinguish the different smells from the air in the forest. His vision leaped as he began seeing things in the dark, except it was all red with no color distinction.
However, Dion never focused on his hyperactive senses because he felt all his hair standing like he was sitting in the most perilous situation. All his pores constrict. Even his breathing turned ragged.
But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came. Even his sharp senses dwindled; although it improved slightly as he could distinguish noises. Except for the sticky substance over his body and a wild strength coursed in his veins and felt natural, all other supernatural feelings were gone.
When he looked at Valka and she stared into his eyes, she scrambled away from him.
He saw his eyes through hers. His iris was glowing in a menacing blood-red color.
Dion blinked in an attempt to stop it and when he opened his eyes, they were back to their normal color.
"What was that and why are you staring at me?" Valka snapped at him while grinding her teeth.
Dion gazed at her for a moment before replying, "I was just using your eyes as a mirror."
"From what I can see, you just awakened your bloodline which is sanguine. But… why are your eyes scary?" Valka blurted, still keeping her distance.
Dion saw as she clutched her wooden, makeshift spear tightly. The intense apprehension didn't escape his notice.
Before, she was vigilant of his scheming nature and previous deeds but had always maintained a carefree and relaxed posture. But now, her vigilance had transformed into a heightened state of alertness, as if she were facing a dangerous predator. Valka adjusted her position, sitting with her foot planted firmly on the floor and shoulder-width apart, ready to propel herself up at a moment's notice.
Dion threw his face away, not ready to talk with the naive girl, and thought of the Void Shuttle he saw.
A screen materialized in his vision.
—---------------------------
[Name: Dion Kruz]
[Age: 18]
[Bloodline: Error]
[Rank: Body realm]
[Level: Awakened (⅓)]
[Eyes Intent: Eyes of Dread]
–––
[Advent of the BEAST]
—---------------------------
'I don't remember copying any bloodline, so why do I have one? I don't remember Sanguine having 'eyes of dread'. They have 'eyes of mind control'. What is going on here?' Dion thought in confusion.
With a thought, the system board disappeared. Then he tore a piece of cloth from his cloak to clean his body.
He sat there in confusion but Valka's vigilant gaze and clenched weapon made him speak. "Don't worry, I won't eat you. I also have a type. If I want to eat, random girls are not among the options."
"Did you just call me a random girl?" Valka growled like an awakening beast but Dion ignored her.
"Humph!" She humphed at his disregard.
Dion just continued the watch out. But his brain kept remembering the feeling he got a while ago. How can his paranoia let go of that feeling? The feeling of being in the middle of danger. A primal instinct he couldn't explain.
'What was that feeling? Is it because I feel uncomfortable with Luke and the awakening amplifies the feeling? Or is it because I'm currently in danger?' Dion thought but couldn't wrap his fingers around it.
But he continued watching silently even with the periodic and unending assault of his thoughts. The thought sometimes felt like another person talking in his head and screaming wildly.
'Won't you run? What if Luke sells you in the next village? You will be trapped and tortured under a cave worse than before. The devil would then add a finishing touch of making your jailer be at Aura Flare of the Body Realm; which is multiple times more powerful than you. There won't be any hope of escaping. Your blood is going to be drained until you begin to compete with a skeleton. The competition would be… who has more blood in their bone marrow since the one in your body has run dry. You might lose because I'm sure your bone marrow would be drained too. Hehehe, that's if you're still alive…'
The pessimistic, unending thought rained, laughed, and spoke in his head, but Dion knew it was merely self-deceit calling it a second thought. It was 'him and himself.' No third party. His one and only thought was the one talking. That's what is going on in his mind now. And it never stopped. When he couldn't bear it, he stood up and carried the sleeping Karen onto his back.
Luke and Liana happened to wake up at that time.
"Where are you going?" Luke asked as he slowly stood up.
"Leaving," Dion said aptly as it couldn't be hidden.
"Leaving?" Luke arched an eyebrow in the confusion but he suddenly turned anxious. "Hell, you can't leave. You're going to get killed by a beast. Traveling at night is as risky as having an untainted death wish."
Dion did not reply and bent to pick up his box with Karen on his back.
"Hey, are you even listening?" Luke growled at him.
But Dion took a random direction that wasn't going backward or toward Luke's proposed direction. He walked slowly.
"Hey, stop right there," Luke roared fiercely, ignoring the danger of attracting beasts.
Dion halted in his tracks.
"Where do you think you are taking her?" Luke walked up to him and questioned authoritatively.
Dion turned his head and gave him a sidelong but threatening gaze. Even though the night decreased the visibility of the normal vision, Luke still saw the menacing gaze but didn't flinch like before.
This only affirmed Dion's suspicion. 'Like I thought, he's acting all this while. But I pity Valka. Well, every man to his race.'
"I'm in charge of her," Dion stated and turned to continue walking. Wasting time was not in his plans.
"Since when did you become in charge of her? Why don't I know that?" Luke asked fiercely.
"And why should I answer your question?" Dion replied without a change in his tone but Luke could feel the bottled rage.
"Because I can't watch an innocent person get ruined by you." Luke gulped but stood his ground.
Dion spun and squinted his eyes under the hood. Luke stared back with clenched fists. He didn't avoid Dion's gaze. Both of them gazed into each other's eyes.
The girls held their breath as they watched the silent standoff. The rustling leaves happened to become silent at this moment.
Suddenly, Dion pivoted and proceeded on his way.
"Hey! You can't leave with her," Luke spoke through gritted teeth.
"Stop me if you can. But let me warn you… you might end up like my jailer," Dion stated casually and continued on his way.
The unbridled strength he currently feels like adrenaline gave him confidence.
Luke twisted his head to see if Valka, the strongest, would step forward. But he saw that Valka remained in her position. Dion's impression during his awakening was still deep. It made Luke's face twist into a nasty scowl.
The three people kept staring until Dion disappeared from their sight.
Liana stared at Dion's direction with a glint flashing in her eyes.
Luke gritted his in frustration. Valka was the only normal one who returned to her seat on the floor.